TFHA01: HAITI EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE SITUATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 012201 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PREL PINR AMGT HA SUBJECT: TFHA01: HAITI EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE SITUATION REPORT NO. 61 STATE 00012201 001.2 OF 003 VIP TRAVEL -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Ambassador Merten reports former President Clinton and Counselor Mills had a successful visit in Port-au-Prince February 5, including good meetings with President Preval and UN representatives. Both former President Clinton and Counselor Mills have departed Haiti. (TF1/Interagency Conference Call, TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince e-mail) ¶2. (SBU) PM Bellerive visited USS Bataan February 6. (TF1/NAVSOUTH telcon) EVACUATIONS/AMERICAN CITIZEN ISSUES -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Two hundred fourteen American evacuees and family members have departed Port-au-Prince since February 5 at 2000 EST; a total of 15,491 have been evacuated to date. A total of 22,500 potential evacuees have been accounted for. There are 50 American evacuees at the airport. (TF1/Embassy Port- au-Prince e-mail) ¶4. (SBU) As of 1200 EST February 6, there are 77 confirmed American citizen fatalities, with another 28 American citizen deaths reported. (TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince e-mail) ¶5. (U) Former President Clinton urged the Haitian and U.S. governments to resolve the case of 10 American citizens accused of trying to take children illegally out of Haiti. (Reuters) ¶6. (U) A lawyer representing the 10 American citizens told the press his clients did not receive conditional release. The men will be held at the national prison, and the women at Petionville women's prison. (AFP) ¶7. (SBU) PM Bellerive approved a list of 17 adoptees for departure February 5; another list of 54 adoptees awaits the PM's review. The Embassy plans to present a consolidated list of pending cases early next week to streamline the approval process. (TF1/Interagency Conference Call) ¶8. (SBU) The Bureau of Consular Affairs hosted a call with the families of Hotel Montana victims to explain the lengthy process of identification, and underscore the importance of confirming positive identifications before notifying families (TF1/Interagency Conference Call) HUMANITARIAN UPDATE -------------- ¶9. (SBU) NGOs distributed food at all 16 distribution sites in Port-au-Prince February 5 without incident. (TF1/Interagency Conference Call) ¶10. (SBU) WFP and NGOs will adjust aid levels at food distribution sites to better address each area's population density and magnitude of need. At Cite Soleil, for example, the lead NGO will assist as many as 3,400 families, which is twice the number of recipient families at other sites. (USAID-OFDA Haiti EQ SitRep #47) ¶11. (SBU) USAID/DART team members in Petit Goave and Grand Goave reported water access among displaced persons in spontaneous settlements remains poor, though NGOs are distributing bottled water and filling a limited number of water bladders. USAID/DART estimates water availability and access remain comparable to pre-earthquake levels in many rural communities. (USAID/DCHA Haiti Fact Sheet #24) ¶12. (SBU) The Haitian government reportedly identified four new settlement sites that may house up to 5,500 people. Additional sites pending approval could potentially host up to 80,000 people. Land tenure issues are complicating the establishment of temporary settlements. (USAID/DCHA Haiti Fact Sheet #24) ¶13. (SBU) The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and partner agencies have identified 315 settlement sites in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, hosting more than 500,000 persons. IOM also notes more than 1,000 Haitians cross into the Dominican Republic via the Jimani border crossing point daily. (USAID/DCHA Haiti Fact Sheet #24) ¶14. (U) Haitians who fled the capital are starting to return. (AP) MEDICAL RESPONSE -------------- ¶15. (SBU) Canada is developing procedures to treat Haitian medevac patients and would welcome information from the United States and other countries regarding visas and financial expenditures. (Ottawa 55) ¶16. (SBU) The Colombian government expressed willingness to accept a small number of Haitian patients and offered to increase its MINUSTAH contingent in Haiti from 27 to 35. (Bogota 167) ¶17. (SBU) The U.S. Interim Aftercare Facility has 20 medical personnel on staff, and the first three patients have arrived from USNS Comfort. (SOUTHCOM HADR SitRep) SECURITY/INFRASTRUCTURE -------------- ¶18. (SBU) SOUTHCOM reports repairs on the Port-au-Prince pier are scheduled to begin February 7 with an estimated completion date of April 15. (DHS Senior Leadership Brief) ¶19. (SBU) The security situation remains stable with sporadic incidents of violence. (Port-au-Prince 130) ¶20. (SBU) Approximately 700 women demonstrated in front of the Presidential Palace and UN Headquarters Compound. Protestors reportedly called for more medical assistance and a smaller military presence. (SOUTHCOM Intelligence Summary) ¶21. (SBU) Canadian officials reportedly witnessed the extra- judicial killing of prisoners by Haitian National Police in the south. (Port-au-Prince 130) ¶22. (SBU) U.S. military personnel defused criminal activity east of Port-au-Prince when a groups of individuals attempted to steal humanitarian assistance from the back of a NGO vehicle stopped in traffic. U.S. military personnel secured the scene until the Haitian National Police arrived. (SOUTHCOM HADR SitRep) ¶23. (SBU) Police officials began distributing paychecks to officers late the evening of February 4, and distribution continued February 5. Normally a five-day process, paycheck delivery likely will take longer under the current circumstances. (TF1/Interagency Conference Call) ¶24. (U) UN officials report only 85 of 1,500 schools in Haitian areas hit by the earthquake survived without major damage. UNESCO requested international assistance for school reconstruction and teacher training. (upi.com) ¶25. (U) The Colombian National Police offered to host children of Haitian police officials to study in Colombia for one year. (Bogota 167) OTHER MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS -------------- ¶26. (SBU) USS McClusky briefly entered Colombian territorial waters to recover one of the ship's helicopters, which declared an in-flight emergency due to mechanical problems. The U.S. military immediately notified the GOC, and the Colombian response was positive. (Port-au-Prince 120) ¶27. (U) Additional updates are available through our classified Intellipedia portal at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Cris is_HAITI. 27 . (U) Minimize considered. CLINTON